Exiled
by HobiSarang
Summary: After an accident in her vault, Ahni is punished for killing an important & currently irreplaceable person, & sentenced to exile. With a friend in the vault trying to get 2 her. Meeting some reluctant help in the waste, life becomes easier & harder with death always around her. (No solid connections to the storyline(s) of the game, sorry.) M for language & adult themes... ;)
1. Chapter 1

Growing up in a vault has been…trying. I may have never known another way of lie, but that doesn't mean I don't know when something is unnatural.

Growing up in a vault is unnatural.

Though, the cramped, hot and very stale way of living was for a decent reason. The world has gone to hell after we humans destroyed it; nuclear warfare and hatred caused a kind of apocalypse. The surface was blown to nothing, radiation soaking everything and killing everything. Those lucky enough to be rushed into the vaults the old civilisations built (apparently they all knew they were going to blow each other up with a-bombs and bio-chemicals one day) lived on for hundreds of years, under the ground like moles.

My eighteen times great grandma and grandpa were two of the chosen people to live on.

So, almost 500 years after the first bombs, here I am.

Washing tools for my mechanic father, learning the trade and looking after my kid brother.

"Ahni, come here and keep an eye on this belt for me." My father, Thomis, with his long scraggily beard and large frame appears from behind the vault-invented medical machine. I'm pretty sure I heard them call it something like heart-moderator… I don't know. I'm not good with the whole med field. But I do know a little something about grease and spanners.

"Sure, dad." I rise from my very _lady-like_ slouching against the wall with a protein biscuit in hand.

I wander over to the machine, cringing at the smell that assaults my nose the closer it get. "Wow, this thing is dying."

"Yeah, I don't know if I can fix this one, Ahn. What do you think?" He digs through some tools, knocking some on the desk and swears under his breath. "Well?"

With a long sigh, I peer into the old, rusting insides of the heart regulator or whatever it's called. "Yeah, look at that…" I point at the belt and the few cogs up the back. "That belt is too big and those cogs."

"What cogs?"

I snort. "Really? You going blind, old man?"

My father doesn't reply, just as I knew he wouldn't, and searches for the hidden cogs I had spotted.

"They are so rusted. I'm surprised it hasn't blown up earlier." I take another bite of my tasteless, calorie filled biscuit. "So, time to tell Dr Tollga that another one has shit its self?"

"Can you be less crude?" He turns to me and frowns, chucking the oil stained rag at me. "And wipe those crumbs off your face, girl."

"So?"

"Yes, go."

Score.

One thing about the med side of things that I _do_ enjoy is the head Docs son. Riran Tollga. He is something to look at, that's easy to tell. But he is nice and funny and doesn't give a shit what people think of him.

I happily stomp into the med bay, heading straight for the head office with my eyes peeled for the eye candy.

"Oh god! Lets go! Shower, now."

"You'd love to get me in a shower, wouldn't you?" I shoot back, grinning at my best friend, Loon, as he saunters over like he owns the vault. I guess in a way, he sort of does…

"What are you up too? Going to visit the golden boy?" Loon sneers playfully as he throughs his chin at the med bay door. His light blonde hair is a rarity down here. For some reason, being locked down here with artificial lights had fought off the lighter hair, leaving only a few people in the hundreds down here with dark hair and dark eyes. Loon is blessed with the light hair and beautiful blue eyes. Too bad he is such a smartass all the time…he might get a girlfriend for once if he could shut his trap.

I grin at him. Loon knows I have a thing for Riran, but that's easy…every girl our age does…and younger…and older… "What of it, your majesty?"

"Well, you won't be getting any sugar smelling like your father after a week of straight work and no showers."

"I take that as a compliment. I work hard, harder than you do!"

"I don't need to work, you know that." He starts checking out his nails with a smug look on his cute face. "You know…being my fathers son and all…"

I snort loudly, getting a whiff of my oily, mechanical stink. "You say that, but you need to work, just like us, ass. Get back in the kitchen before I jump you."

"Oh-Ho! Yes please." Loon opens his arms wide, leaning back and grins. "Come at me, baby!"

"Shut up!" I smack Loon on the arm hard and he pretends to whimper. "You're so cruel… Okay fine. I better go check on the boys before they burn the food."

"Who's burning food?" I ask, knowing he was the one destroying food with over cooking and bad skills. "See you later, Loon…" I grin as he runs around the corner, his apron hanging out of his back pocket like a white tail.

I slam my hand on the button to open the med door, leaving a greasy smudge on the red glowing plastic. I leave a mental note to clean that up on my way out.

"Hey, Greasie." I smile at the pet name I get from one person and one person only.

Turning around as I wipe the smile off. "Listen here, you quack…"

"OH! Quack! You wound me, sweet Greasie." He holds his heart, his face full of dramatic fake hurt.

I try to keep a neutral face while I watch the idiot show. "You know, sometimes it's hard to believe you're one of the smartest people in this hole." I walk into the med-bay, Riran following behind me.

Riran laughs his cute chuckle and wraps his arm around my shoulders. "I know… So, unfortunately I know the only times you come in here without the machine you're working on in toe is that the poor thing is beyond help…"

I relish the feeling of his arm around me as we slowly walk further into the ward.

"Well, if you guys treated the poor machine nicer maybe it would last longer. You know how to help people, but the poor machines take a beating."

"What are you on about, girl?"

"Sir." I straighten up, throwing Riran's arm off of me suddenly I'm overly conscious of how dirty I was. I sneak a peak at Riran and see dirt and oil on his white coat. Oops…

"Come with me…"

Something is hot. Something is burning me, heating me up like I do those stubborn metal parts that have bent and warped with age and abuse. There's like too. It's so bright from the other side of my eyes that I can see the tiny red veins creeping through my eyelids. My eyes are burning too. What is that smell? Something gritty and dry… It smells like something is cooking…not food…just something a little burnt maybe? Am I in the kitchen?

" _From here on, for the rest of your life, you are banished from The Vault 182."_

I groan, my burning body protesting at every move. If I don't get away from what it heating me, then I will burn up any second.

With slow movements, I force myself up onto my elbows, my head hanging back slack. Somehow the heat starts attacking my neck, feeling like acid. I flinch and muster up the strength to lift my head, rolling it forward and cracking my eyes open.

Light. So much light... I hiss, like some evil little creature that is confronted with something they don't like. And I am. I don't like it. All I see is light.

"What…" I whisper, my voice nothing more than a hoarse croak. Opening and closing my eyes feels like sandpaper is rubbing my eyes, but I do it none the less. My vision needs to adjust to this impossible light. I know about the sun, the large ball of burning light in the sky, but I never imagined this much light.

I squint into the distance; suddenly I see where I really am.

There are barren mountains, stripped trees and ruins of what I slowly become to understand were once houses. Worst of it is there is so much space. There is nothing. There is so much of nothing. It's so big. It's all brown. It's hot and dusty and dead.

"Nothing…"

I feel my heart racing and my sweat pouring off me like I've never felt it before. I am going to sweat out what little water I had in me in seconds. What if there is radiation right here? What if I'm already dying? Is that what this burning is? Am I getting radiated and dying of it already?

With my mind racing and my heart ready to flop, I try to push myself to my feet, my legs wobbling and my ankles roll.

"I have to find shade…" I look around me and see a door...Vault 183. The Vault is right here. Right behind me…

I stumble, suddenly so desperate to get inside. I collapse onto the large metal door, pounding it with my sweaty fist in a slow, pathetic beat. "Hey! Let me in!"

Nothing.

"Please, don't let me die out here!" I kick the door, unexpectedly full of energy. "I know you're there! Come one! Open the door!" I slam my fists into the door again and call for someone. I wasn't really expecting anyone there.

"I'm sorry, Ahni…"

Loon?

"Loon? Is that you?" Relief floods through me, cooling the intense heat that is assaulting my back, searing my bare calves. "Open the door."

"You know I can't do that, Ahni…"

I thought hearing his voice made me feel better, but now I'm truly cold. "What are you talking about…?" He can't let me in. He isn't here for that.

I hear him speaking but can't make it out. "Louder Loon! It's hard enough to hear out here!"

"Check your bag."

What bag? I look behind me, at the barren wastes that lie in wait, waiting to claim me as one of the billions of deaths it has counted. But before fear takes over me completely, I see it. There, a small knapsack.

I turn back to the door, hating the feeling of the heated wind, full of dirt, in my face. "What is it?"

"I put some things in there for you. No one liked the idea but your father and I weren't about to let you go without giving you something to survive on." I heard the crack in his voice. My best friend is hurting. This is so fucked…

"I shouldn't be out here…I didn't mean it, Loon…"

"I know…" He clears his throat. "Look, I put some food in there and a little something extra. I have escorts so I won't say what it is encase they are listening. Riran put a few stimpaks in there, too. And I think he was able to sneak a rad-away as well." Riran… I got his father killed…and he still helps me?

"Loon…I'm scared."

He was silent as I rest my forehead on the hot metal, wishing I could see him one last time. He took so long to answer. "I am too."

"I miss you."

"I'm going to try and help you, Ahni. I won't let this go so easily."

I smile, my dry lips cracking. "I knew you wouldn't. But don't worry about me, I can take on a few mutants." I joke as fear ripples through me like a poison. Mutants… Raiders. I don't know much else I'll see out here…if I manage to live long. But I really don't want to find out.

I look through the bag, shoving some cloth clothing around and spot what Loon didn't want to mention. His father's gun…

"…Loon…" I feel a new fear creeping up on me. Fear for my best friend who is now going to be treated like some sort of traitor himself, all because he helped me. "Tell them I took it. Don't let them know you did, promise me. Loon?"

He doesn't answer for a few seconds and I know what he is thinking. I know he isn't going to say I took it.

"Loon?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you'll be okay?"

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" I can hear the waver in his voice and it makes my chest constrict. My throat closes up and tear sting my eyes. "Listen, Ahni…Your father isn't going to rest…He is going to find a way to get you back. So am I." I hear a sniffle. "I can't let you go like this."

I turn around, looing out at the hot, dead land behind me. "Loon…it's so scary out here…" I swallow my tears, forcing them to stop. "You can't come out here. Don't do anything stupid…"

"You know me, Ahn…"

"I do. I know you well…and I know you aren't so stupid to get yourself thrown out here." Desperation filly me voice. "Loon, you are too important to get yourself killed."

"And you are to important to me." He sniffles again. "I love you, Ahni. I have for a long time." He clears his throat. "I'll come for you. I'll see you soon."

"No, Loon! LOON!" Nothing, no answer… "LOON!"

"Ahni?"

I freeze. Riran?

"Listen Ahni…I know you must be hurting…and scared. I'm sorry… But I couldn't stop it. I tried. Loon and your father…people from school tried…"

"Riran…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean too…I didn't know he was there…"

"It's okay, Greasie. I know you didn't know. He shouldn't have been there." Riran spoke robotically, no emotion.

"Thank you…for the supplies." I speak awkwardly. How do you speak with your victim's son? The son you have feelings for? The son you'll never see again.

"Stay safe out there…I heard what Loon was saying. If I can help, I will." He taps the door with all his fingers and I press my hand up to it, too. "It's not your fault, Ahni. I don't blame you and either does my sister. I hope you stay safe until we can help you. Good bye…"

"Bye…"

I stand there for god knows how long, my hand burning on the hot metal of the vault door. What do I do now? Do I stay here, at the entrance? Do I look for a place to stay?

"Loon…what do I do?" I whisper, feeling more alone and scared by the second. "I don't know what to do…"

With my heart rate too high, sweat pouring off of my and my skin burning and not knowing if it's the sun or radiation, I turn to the wastes, looking out at all of that nothing and try to choose the way to go. The way to safety… If there is any such thing out here…


	2. Chapter 2

I was momentarily proud of myself when I mustered up the courage to venture out from the small amount of shade by the vault door. I even smiled a

Little, feeling my cracked lips beginning to split.

I shuffle along, cautious of everything. Is that dry plant going to rub on me and make my skin eat away? Are there tiny animals burrowing into my skin? Is that radiation killing me already?

"My skin…" I look at my arms and they are going red… I look up, my eyes burning from the scorching sun. "What am I going to do?" I dig through my little knapsack and pull out the water Loon had packed in for me. Half left…

I down a few long swigs and sigh, wiping the drips from my chin. "I need to find more water…" I pack the little water I had left away, burying it under all the other things in the bag. "Where do I go?"

With nothing to go on but the long and dirt-filled nothing in front of me, I start heading towards the closest mountain, hoping it caught water and had a steam or something close by at the bottom.

Though the thought had me in higher spirits, it quickly became clear how long it would take me to get there. I close my eyes and whimper like a child. It feels like sand paper has replaced my eyelids as I close them. Are my eyes drying up from the sun? Radiation maybe…?

I rustle through my bag again and pull out the shirt Loon had given me. It was his. I smile sadly and smell the light blue fabric, closing my eyes and wishing I were with him instead of out here in this hell on earth.

My eyes open and I sigh into his shirt and bring it over my head as a makeshift hat, shielding my scalp, neck and shoulders of the suns unforgiving rays. "Thank, Loon."

I look ahead again, trying to look past the long distance to the mountain. "If there isn't some water there, I am going to be pissed." I spit out as I head forward again, speaking out angrily but I'm really just scared and feeling very hopeless. What am I really going to do? I'm heading towards a place that is days away and I have two mouthfuls of water left in my bottle.

I'm going to die out here…

Something moved. Something in the distance… Some thing on the ground, sniffling and scratching at the dirt

I freeze up, suddenly my eyes are watery, my hands shaking. What is it? Will it kill me? It's hairless and stocky…a molerat?

Finally, after seeing it look up and snorting I snap out of it and reach for the gun. I fumble with it, hands shaking and mind spinning. I'm not very close, and I'm not good with a gun… I shoot. The loud sound making my jump as me wrist flies back from the recoil.

"Shit…" I shake my hand out and take aim again. But it's running at me. I gasp, taking a step back. "Oh shit…" I point the gun at the creature again and shoot. It misses again and the molerat buries under the ground.

With my legs shaking wildly and the molerat somewhere under the ground, I stumble backwards and trip, falling on my butt. "Where is it?! Where is it!" I shuffle backwards, my legs not wanting to pick me up. I'm going to get mauled by that thing…

Rocks and dirt flies around me as the molerat bursts from the ground. I scream, my throat letting out a horrified sound. The creature wailed as it landed on me, it's hairless, rough body crushing me down.

I try to aim the gun at it, but my hand and gun is pressed into my leg, trapped under the heavy stinking heap on top of me. As I wiggle, desperate to get the creature off, it leans down, it's large teeth bitting into my arm.

I scream again, this time it's full of pain and louder than before. I jerk my hand, shooting in whatever direction the handgun was pointing.

Blinding hot pain assaults me body, radiating from my right thigh. I yell, loud and it turns into some sort of roar and bend to gun into the creatures belly, shooting again and again.

The Molerat, still snorting and squealing above me lets go of my arm. With my arm free and adrenaline running through me from the pain and danger, I punch the molerat, my blood splattering over bot the creature and myself from my bleeding arm.

The molerat flies off me landing with a thud beside me. It squeals weakly and dies beside me. I breathe hard, holding my bleeding arm to my chest. As I try to sit up, I realise I heard another shot when I punched it. A shot I didn't release…

I whip my head around, searching for someone who shot at the molerat…at me. I started freaking out again, scared that it's a raider or something. Someone who will kill me…

"Who...who's there?"

"Put the gun down." The voice belongs to a man. It's low and calm. Dangerous, for sure.

I freeze; sweat falling down my forehead... I look down at the gun in my lap and then whimper at the long gouge in my leg from the bullet. It hadn't gone in, just dug out a trench across my thigh. Blood is pumping steadily out of my leg, drenching my pants in dark red.

"I said, put the gun down!" He is angry now.

I snap out of it and throw the gun down, snaking from pain and fear. "I did. Don't shot me…"

I hear footsteps coming at me and I close me eyes, anticipating pain…hoping the death will come quickly.

"What are you doing, Draeden?" A female voice hisses. She doesn't sound friendly.

"Shut it, Viki."

"She hasn't got anything. Let's go." The woman cries, obviously annoyed with the situation.

I squeeze my eyes shut, biting my lip hard. The pain is intense, my eyes are watering and my boy is on fire. Blood is leaking from me fast and I am so tired… What are the raiders going to do with me? She said I have nothing. So what is he going to do?

Bad thoughts fly though my head. Thoughts of becoming a slave, a person to beat or torture, a sex toy… I groan, the pain and thoughts attacking me, and eye the gun. Maybe it would be better to end it here…?

"No…Loon would kill me." Despite the pain and raiders behind me, I smile. Loon _would_ kill me if I killed myself. He'd find a way.

I turn from the gun, holing my leg with my bad arm and my good hand holding the bite. "Look…I don't have anything with me. I just…"

"What?" The voice is right behind me now. When did he get so close? I jump and curl up a little, suddenly hyper aware of the think clothing I had on. Will he take advantage of me? In the vault we were told they were vicious…merciless monsters who rape, kill and pillage.

I swallow thickly. "I…don't have anything…I am just…trying to find water."

Nothing. No knife at my neck or gun loading behind my head. I don't know how much time passes as I sit still, bleeding onto the hot dusty ground with nothing happening.

Something drops beside me and I panic, jumping away from it, my heart feeling like it exploded.

"Drink."

I look up, finally looking at my attacker. The sun is behind him, blinding me from his face. But I see brown hair, becoming loose from a bun at the nape of his neck. His silhouette is large, tall but lean. I can see the shape of a large gun across his back and a pack. Lots of belts and pockets hanging off of him to hold all kinds of things, things to kill people, I'm sure.

"Wh..what?"

"What?!" A screech from the woman behind him wakes me up and I grip the water bottle with bot hands, downing half of the liquid in a few seconds. I sigh, wiping the water I let dribble.

I look up again, then my vision goes blurry, my head starts spinning and I fall back on my back.

Everything goes black.

I wake slowly, coming to my senses one by one. Again, something feels hot. The dry heat of the wastes still surrounding me, but it isn't as harsh now. I groan, my voice sounding too loud and I become aware of other sounds, voices in particular. They are arguing, that much is clear. But I can't understand them.

Pain starts to fill me again, my arm and leg turning into hot spots. "ah…" I groan and realises that my lip is cut. I must have cut it when I bit it…

My eyes open slowly, still sore and grainy. It's darker. Artificial lighting? Where am I?

"Don't expect me to welcome her. She is nothing but dead weight. She is from a vault for fucks sake!" The woman, Viki, is yelling. I can hear her now… "She will just drag us down! Then what? She'll get us killed!"

"What do you want me to do then, Viki?!" The man bites back. What was his name again?

"You should have left her. You shouldn't have wasted that bullet on that molerat, and let her get eaten!" The man doesn't answer. "Look, if she doesn't pull her weight, I'm taking care of it myself."

A slamming door sounds and muffled swearing as she leaves sounds through the walls.

I sigh and look around, seeing wooden slats built into a crude room around me. A shack? I sit up, hissing as I stress my arm muscles when I have been bitten. My leg complains more too, with the little muscle it's using.

It's small and smells bad. The bed I lay on feel crusty and rotten. There are some draws and a cupboard nearby, it's contents spilled on the ground. Is this the raiders home?

The door creaks open and the man walks in, closing the door behind him. I can't see his face properly because he is looking down, away from me. What is he doing in here? Am I going to suffer now? Is he going to do something bad? Hurt me? Harass me?

"Get back!" I warn, grabbing the hairbrush on the bedside table before he comes too close. He stops mid-stride, his feet touching the ground, but I didn't hear anything. He is different now. Hair out, brushing his shoulders, a dark tan shirt on with sleeves to his wrists and loose black cargo pants…

He doesn't look as scary without all the gear.

I look at his face. He looks…amused.

"What are you going to do with that?"

I snap into sarcasm mode. "Looks like you haven't brushed that luscious hair of yours in a while, handsome." I sneer.

He snorts. "Okay." He stomps over, crouching down next to me, leaning close, his face too close for comfort. Actually…everything about this him, this place…being out of the vault…it's all uncomfortable…

"Get away from me." I meant to sound strong but my voice comes out softer, tired and defeated. I grimace with one size on my mouth.

The man sighs, stands back up and takes a few step away from me, rubbing his loose hair around. "Look, if you have somewhere to go, go. But for now…you are too injured to be running around by yourself." He turned to look me over, eyes resting on my arm and leg. "How'd you manage shooting yourself?" He snorts.

Anger clicks on, making me itch. "Listen, raider. I appreciate the water and the first aid…but I am not interested in becoming some sort of slave to you and your girlfriend." I spat out, hoping to look a little tougher.

The man stares blankly. "How's the pain?"

The pain? It's horrible. It's strong and sickening. My leg feels like it's torn apart and my arm… It's the worst. The pain is intense.

"Your arm?" He comes close again, reaching for me. Without thinking, I flinch, holding up the brush again. He pushes out an airy laugh from his nose. "Calm down." He takes my hand, pulling my injured arm up. "It's broken…"

With him in control, holding my arm as pain eats at me, I realise the ball in completely in his court. Whatever he wants me to do, or not…he can make it happen with a slight movement.

"What are you going to do with me?"

He frowns slightly. "What do you think we are going to do with you?" Looking curious, he turns his head to the side.

I look away from him quickly, too angry to keep eye contact. In too much pain to keep the tears from my eyes, I look down I'm not going to give them the satisfaction. I don't want to answer him, talk to him or look at him. "Touch me, and you'll regret it." I sound tougher than I feel.

"What will you do, little vault dweller?"

I 'tsk' in annoyance. "I'm not some helpless girl, you know." I look at him, straight in the eyes and glare hard. "Just try something. I might be hurt, but I can still hurt you."

He doesn't move, nothing but dropping my arm. I wasn't ready for it and my arm hits the bed roughly. I cry out but am quick to give him a dirty look. Looks obviously have no effect on him, because he turns away, his expression indifferent to everything I do and he opens the door. He doesn't say a word as he leaves, closing the door softly. I hear a thud on the other side and some muffled arguing again.

These people…they seem to argue a lot.

"Just leave her!"

"No, I-"

"What?!" The woman, Viki is screaming again. "Just leave her here! What does it matter if she dies!"

"Drop it, Viki."

"AH! Stupid bitch! She is a fucking vault rat! What have you got running through your head! Why are you wasting time and supplies on that thing!"

A thump.

"Asshole…"

Did he hit her? I frown, waiting for sometime more. Of course he did. He's a raider, hitting a woman would be nothing to him. Not like in the vault, any kind of violence was strictly prohibited, but hitting a woman? It was the worst. Woman carried children, cared for them and fed them with their bodies. To injure someone so important to our survival in the vault…

That's just a small difference between those people and me... I have a kind of humanity. They have nothing but anger and hate.

A short time later knock at the door scares me, making my already fast pulse rise. The door creaks open and clothes get thrown in. The door closes again and the sound of a throat being cleared keeps me staring at the rotting wood.

"Put those on and come out soon. Food is ready… I bet you are hungry…" The guy speaks roughly before I hear him clear his throat again. I can't help but think it was excessive and a little annoying to keep doing it.

I try to ignore the thought of him standing out there and start looking through the clothes he chucked in. A large flannelette button down and some long pale brown slacks, along with some briefs... Men's clothes, definitely.

"These pants will not stay up…" I mumble, shifting the ripped shirt over my head and down my broken arm. "Broken…that thing broke my arm in one bite…" I hiss as I move the useless limb. "I need a stimpak…Wait…my bag…"

I look around the room. Nothing. Those evil freaks have taken it. Of course they did. They probably used the stimpaks and clothes…

"Assholes…"

I managed, after a good half an hour, to get dressed and tried to stand. My leg is hating me for every move I made, but I am starving and if there was really food out there, then I can handle some pain if it meant filling my belly.

I drag myself to the door, but the moment I opened it, I am faced with the barrel of a gun. A big gun. It gets cocked and a snicker lets me know I am screwed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Listen, vault rat. Draeden isn't here right now." Viki smirks, looking me up and down. I look at her too. She is taller than me, not too hard since I am only 5'3ft, and with that height over me, I immediately feel smaller, a lot smaller. She has scares all over her face, too. Is it from fighting? Did he do that to her? Or is it just from living out here in the wastes, living like a raider?

Viki's dark eyes glare at me, her pale, cracked lips curling up into a sneer. "He isn't here to stop me doing whatever the fuck I want with you." She lowers the gun. "But, if I did, he would have my head." Viki sighs, her strong stare leaving me. "There's food out here." She takes another look at me and snorts. "Love the clothes…"

I look down, cursing the baggy men's clothing. "Well, I had a spare set in that bag of mine. Where is it?" I think I'll need to fight fire with fire on this one…she is just too much of a bitch to reason with and waste niceties on.

Viki scoffs. "Dream on, Princess." She strolls away, throwing the single barrel shotgun over her shoulder lazily. At least she backed off. "Follow me if you want to eat something. I suggest you do, that man can eat an entire Brahmin by himself." I snort.

Swallowing my fear and hesitance, I slowly make my way through the broken, rotting house. I can see the flickering of a broken lamp in the room ahead, but there is a constant light source too. How do they get their power?

Finally, after way too long, I made it to the kitchen. It's filthy, empty cans scattered around, broken kitchen appliances and the fridge… It's working, yes. But the smell… I hold my wrist over my nose, grimacing. "My god…"

"What?" Viki hisses, glaring again.

I eye her and take another look around. The light coming from the window is weak. It must be late? I can still see out the window, though. The wastes look sad. It really is a broken, abandoned world. Humans destroyed this…and we are still fighting?

"Look, Vault rat. Sit and eat or get out of my sight." Viki snaps, shoving a piece of questionable meat in her mouth. In this brighter light I realise her eyes are different colours. The right is plain brown while the left has streaks of blue.

"I'll eat…" I slowly lower myself to a chair. "Just…this?" I throw my chin at the plate of meat and crisps. "What is that?"

"A steak…" Viki spits out and downs whatever was in her cup. "I'm leaving. Don't go outside…I'll get the heat if you get yourself killed."

I don't answer her, I don't look at her, because I am too weary of this meat in front of me. This doesn't look right. I look up to see Viki leaving the room, her gun on hand. Do they…eat people? We heard about the people in the wastes that fed on other people, lost their humanity and became monsters of a different kind. They were horror stories for the kids that us older liked to tell them before sleeping. They were stories then…

I grimace and look back at the small weird meat. "Cannibals?"

"Where?" A deep voice makes me jump and I cringe, groaning loud and long at my arm. The pain assaults me and I grip my forearm, wishing that would help sooth it. Even though I was in my little world of pain, I still heard the laugh that came from the man behind me.

"You need to stop flinching…" He smacks his hand down on the back of my chair, making me flinch. "See, didn't that hurt?"

"What is wrong with you?" I mutter, gripping my arm too tight. "Shit…"

The man leans away, walking around to sit down. "You haven't even yet?"

I glare at him. Does he want me to eat this? They want me to eat so them they can chop me up and eat me too…

"You gotta get big and juicy so when we decide to eat you, you've got some meat on those little bones." He looks up from his plate, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Green eyes. Really bright green… I look away, trying to hide the fear that is obviously showing.

He laughs. "I knew you were thinking that. You think _we_ are cannibals?" He cuts a large section of meat and chews away happily. "Honey, when we come across some cannibals, you'll know."

"Don't call me that."

"Don't call us cannibals." He comes serious. "Ever."

Awkward. It's so awkward. He is just staring at me. Should I say something? Apologise to keep him from hurting me? He is still chewing that meat. His mouth moving slowly… I watch him as he watches me, trying to appear strong. He is covered in scars too. His mouth bares a deep scar from his lower lip on the left down to, down his chin and on his neck. That would have hurt.

"How'd you get that scar?"

He throws his fork down. "Eat. Go back and rest." Standing abruptly, he knocks the old table into me, smacking my arm. I cry out and glare at him…again. He clenches his jaw a few times as he watches me huddle on the chair while the pain makes me dizzy. "Eat." He leaves, slamming the cracked door behind him.

Looking at the food in front of me, I feel less hungry with every second I see it. My broken arm throbs, making my whole shoulder and chest ache. What am I going to do, Loon? I think of my best friend and what he must be doing back home. Not sitting down like a helpless prisoner, I'm sure.

Loon would kick my ass if he saw me sitting down, listening to every word these raiders told me. I should be running. I should leave before they come back.

Suddenly, I feel energized. "That's it." I stand, forcing myself to think of home, Loon, my dad…Riran. They will help me through this. They are at home worried…I can't sit down and give into these psychos.

"Bag…bag…" I mutter as I limp around the broken house. Where would they keep that stuff? Where they are sleeping, right?

I find the room with a bed big enough for two. I was right. There it is, sitting on the bedside table. I grin though the pain. "Come to mumma."

Quickly looking through the bag with one arm, I realise they took the stimpaks… I was counting on those being there. I need them if I am going to get anywhere on this leg…

Defeated and loosing hope quickly, I stumble into the room I was put in. I might as well sit and calm myself down first. I need to think straight for a moment before I run off and get myself killed by one of those molerats.

I sit myself down on the bed, sighing. A sharp, cold object is poking my butt. I frown, reach down and pull out a stimpak. Another one…

"They left me stimpaks?" I almost cry, I'm so happy.

Using my thighs as a vice, I pull the caps off the stimpaks and inject one into my arm. I stifle a cry as the injection buzzes and aches, trying it's best to heal what it can. The numbing effect comes slowly. Happy with my arm, I inject my leg, too.

A lay back, sighing as the stimpak takes its toll, healing and numbing me. I smile, being in the least amount of pain since being sent out into the wastes. "Thank you, Riran." I whisper, wishing he could hear it.

With a new since of hope, I stand, still feeling the pain, but it's a dull memory of what it was only minutes ago. I still limp and my arm is still pretty useless, but I am ready to go now.

I should find my gun… I doubt they would have left it here for me to find though. "Maybe their room again…?" I whisper to myself as head out.

I finally get close enough to turn the handle and I hear voices again. I stop, trying to hide my breathing.

"-time to leave. We need to get to Diamond city before the week ends…"

"Yes, we do….and bring that rat will slow us down!" Viki…

"Yes, it will." He sounds defeated.

A celebratory sound comes from Viki, making her sound far less scary. "So we agree then, we ditch the rat and move on."

Nothing more. No voices, no sounds. I cringe nervously. Did they hear me? Time to bail, it think…

Rushing as quietly as possible, I make it to the door, grabbing the coat stand as I leave. Better than no weapon, I guess. I'm fast to leave the house, but once I was out, door closed and the darkening sky behind me, fear creeps in again.

I scan the area quickly. Look how big it is. The land is…huge. There are rocky hills and dead trees. So much space out here…so different to the vault. I'm not used to this…to seeing so far and not knowing what it out there. It's scary. It's so scary.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. There is no way that I am staying here because I am scared of how big everything is.

Sucking in a deep breath, I step out, hurrying away, into the nearby scrubs. The plant don't hurt me, the leaves don't sting or burn. I sigh in relief. Maybe not everything is dangerous out here like we were told I the vault?

I look around again, checking everything out. I can't see that mountain I was heading too…Where am i? I take a few deep breaths, hoping to calm myself down before I really loose it. This place looks nothing like where I was before? How far did they take me?

How will I find my way back to the vault?

Back to dad and Loon.

I managed to convince myself to start walking, walk anywhere I could. Though I tried to recognise the area, I found nothing similar to what I'd seen. That mountain isn't even in sight.

The night air is cooler than I though it'd be, chilling me enough bring on shakes. For such a harsh, hot light in the day, one that had burnt me red raw, it's surprising that the night can become so cold.

I shuffle forward, thankful that the moonlight is enough to see things in the distance. Also, living down in the vault has giving me good eyesight anyway. Perks or being a vault dweller, I guess.

One thing I've always hated was feeling lonely. I've always had Loon by my side. I was always following him around when we were little. He was the older, cute blonde boy with blue eyes. The Overseers son... Every girl loved him. Then, when we got into school, I met Riran and I liked him ever since, and ever since that, Loon had followed me.

We're best friends. Like siblings, but closer. We know each other to the last atom. I miss him. So much.

Tears start to make my throat thick and ache. I don't want to cry anymore. I cried enough the first day out here. No more. I just need to find a way to fix this. To get back in to my father and friends, because if I don't, I'll go crazy out here alone…

"Well, well. What do we got 'ere?!" A male voice called behind me slowly. He sounds cruel, I can hear it in his tone.

My heart nearly stops. No. No. No!

A laugh sounds. It's more like a cackle. "A little sweet one." Someone walks towards me form the left and I flinch, taking a few steps away. "Young, too."

"Hold on, sugar." Another voice. I smack into something hard, metal pieces hurting me. I turn and I'm facing a man. He's tall and thin, a beard and goggle hide his face well. "We just wanna play."

"Leave me alone." I grit out though clenched teeth. How could I have run into more raiders.

That's when I start taking notice. These guys…they look so much scarier. They are covered I spikes and metal things, ratty, mattered hair and look like total addicts. These are raiders…

"Did you hear that, Rotter?" The man close to me, the bearded one grins, his yellow and brown teeth in my face. "She want's us to leave her alone."

Suddenly there was a tongue on my cheek. I cry out and try to move away but the bearded one hold me still. "She's tasty." The licking one whispers. "You know, it's not safe for a little girl like you to be alone. You're hurt too, right?"

The third one comes close, looking at me arm. "Here?" He flicks it with his finger and I couldn't hide the grimace. A low laugh from all three surrounds me with rotten breath.

"How about we have some fun? Whadda say, sugar?" The licking one purrs in my ear, licking my again.

I close me eyes, taking a deep breath. "Touch me, and you'll regret it." A laugh takes over them again, this time loud and long.

Beardy spins me around roughly and holds my back close to him. I feel him grinding. "I'm gonna touch you, alright."

"I have friends coming."

"Good, they can join in."

"They're going to kill you."

A laugh again but this time I can hear the lack of humour, they are getting annoyed with it all. I try to get out of the grip but do nothing but hurt myself.

The flicker comes close to my face now and licks his lips. "Me first." But the second the words are out of his mouth he is shoved aside but the licking one.

"Get fucked, Jang. I spotted the mutt." He stomped up to the other one, Jang, and head butts him hard.

Jang growls and throws a punch. "Rotter, back off. You go the last one and killed her!"

I whimper. This is it. I am going to die here…the last thing that happened to me will be torture, sexual assaults and killed by raiders. I need to get something to end it before they do anything to me. I'd rather die than let this happen.

"Boys, I have her. _I_ found her. I get her first!" Beardy growls from behind, tightening his grip on me as he spoke. He is obviously bigger than his friends so they both jab at each other one last time before swearing and glaring at one another. "If you could leave us alone." He spoke happily and pushed me down to the ground.

The two laughed and wandered off. Leaving me, hurting on the ground with a massive raider looming above me.

"Listen girl. You do what I say, or loose an eye. You go it?" He growls as his pants become loose, he pulls mine off from the ankles and my leg complains, though still dull from the stimpak.

I grit my teeth, tensing my body. I have a chance if I push myself past the pain and run. The other two have wandered off and his pants are around his ankles.

I nod. "Okay…" I lie, taking deep breaths.

The raider grins. "That's a good girl."


End file.
